Floor Loom Weaving

Learn to weave on a loom for the first time or get your skills up to warp speed with Janet Dawson in Floor Loom Weaving.

Whether you're a weaving whiz or a wishful novice, Floor Loom Weaving will get your floor loom skills up to warp speed. Let Janet, owner of The Bobbin Tree in Sydney, Nova Scotia, shuttle you through each step, from preparing the loom to putting the finishing touches on your handwoven cloth. Beginners will learn the language of the loom and efficient ways to warp and weave, while experienced weavers will expand upon their drafting design skills and learn troubleshooting tips. Don't be floored by your weaving worries; loom large and confident in your weaving ability by enrolling today in Floor Loom Weaving.

Lesson plan

Lesson 1. Introduction

Meet your instructor, Janet Dawson, owner of The Bobbin Tree in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Janet walks you through an introduction to weaving and what you can expect to learn in this class!

17:27

Lesson 2. The Loom

Meet the loom up close with Janet's thorough introduction! You'll discover each part of the loom and what they do, learn about the bench and other equipment, and explore which yarns you can use for your projects.

38:06

Lesson 3. How Cloth Happens

How does it go from yarn to loom to cloth? Let Janet take the mystery out as she teaches you how to get started with an introduction to weaving. You'll learn to read and draw a draft, work with more than one shaft and more.

39:31

Lesson 4. Winding a Warp

Dive into a project with Janet's expert tips! You'll learn how to break down the instructions for weaving, including the supplies and tools you'll need and how to use them. Janet then explains warp lengths, how to start with a guide string, and how to wind and chain the warp with thorough detail and up-close instruction.

1:07:02

Lesson 5. Dressing the Loom

Cast your fears aside as Janet helps you set up your supplies, tools and floor loom in her "pre-flight check". Discover how to sley the raddle, use lease sticks to warp the loom, use the apron rod and beam the warp.

1:18:00

Lesson 6. Threading the Loom

Explore techniques for threading the loom with Janet's expert tips. After learning more about the best threads for the job, you'll prepare and thread the heddles with up-close instruction before sleying the reed and tying on knots. Janet also helps you identify and troubleshoot tricky threading errors so you can fix mistakes as you go without frustration!

1:27:19

Lesson 7. Learning to Weave Well

What sets average weaving apart from truly skillful weaving? Find out with Janet's engaging tips and instructions as she covers the best practices for winding a bobbin, making a guide tape and experimenting with various weaving techniques. She also covers successful methods for hemstitching, joining a new weft, troubleshooting weft errors and much more in this information-packed lesson.

20:23

Lesson 8. Tie-Up

Janet kicks off this lesson with an explanation of treadle and shaft relationships to help you simplify your weaving. Next, discover how to create a lift plan before converting it with Janet's confidence-building suggestions. Finally, Janet revisits the Fiberworks computer software program to show you how you can digitally convert a lift plan to a tie-up, and vice versa.

59:35

Lesson 9. Building Your Weaving Skills

Continue to develop your blossoming weaving skills as you dive into starting a second pillow. You'll tread a 2/2 twill, change colors, address the draw in and troubleshoot along the way. Additionally, you'll add a beautiful accent stripe, create point twill, and more!

43:31

Lesson 10. Tips & Tricks

Ready for even more fun techniques and tips that will set you up for success? Work with a floating selvage, learn how to remove the cloth and attach floating selvages, create a basket weave, fix a warp end if it breaks, and design your own stunning, custom-made pillow.

29:40

Lesson 11. Wet Finishing

Discover wet finishing techniques for your projects as Janet illustrates how to doctor the cloth and fix a skip if a color is coming through too much on the wrong side. Next, learn how to wash the wool with exactly the right temperature of water and soap for the job and press it for the best results. Janet shares "before" and "after" examples so you can see the full effect of this technique!

33:45

Lesson 12. Wrapping Up

Janet wraps up this information-rich class with final tips on how to put your pillows together and how to keep careful records on what techniques and drafts you used to build each of your projects. She also equips you with project planning tools to determine the length and width of each warp, and how much yarn you'll need to make the fabric and projects you desire.

"Knowing how great the other Craftsy classes that I took had been, I signed up for Janet's class. Thank goodness I did, or (my new) loom might have been kindling for the fireplace! I watched the entire class before I started in again. Janet not only taught about how the loom works, but her tips and tricks proved invaluable when I found out that half my heddles were in wrong! Then I watched the class step by step to wind a warp, dress the loom, and actually weave some cloth. I've since dressed the loom several times on my own; once again with Janet, and by myself since then. And the loom is no longer in danger of becoming kindling!" - TiggywinkleKnitHillsboro, OR

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Lesson plan

8:09

Lesson 1. Introduction

Meet your instructor, Janet Dawson, owner of The Bobbin Tree in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Janet walks you through an introduction to weaving and what you can expect to learn in this class!

17:27

Lesson 2. The Loom

Meet the loom up close with Janet's thorough introduction! You'll discover each part of the loom and what they do, learn about the bench and other equipment, and explore which yarns you can use for your projects.

38:06

Lesson 3. How Cloth Happens

How does it go from yarn to loom to cloth? Let Janet take the mystery out as she teaches you how to get started with an introduction to weaving. You'll learn to read and draw a draft, work with more than one shaft and more.

39:31

Lesson 4. Winding a Warp

Dive into a project with Janet's expert tips! You'll learn how to break down the instructions for weaving, including the supplies and tools you'll need and how to use them. Janet then explains warp lengths, how to start with a guide string, and how to wind and chain the warp with thorough detail and up-close instruction.

1:07:02

Lesson 5. Dressing the Loom

Cast your fears aside as Janet helps you set up your supplies, tools and floor loom in her "pre-flight check". Discover how to sley the raddle, use lease sticks to warp the loom, use the apron rod and beam the warp.

1:18:00

Lesson 6. Threading the Loom

Explore techniques for threading the loom with Janet's expert tips. After learning more about the best threads for the job, you'll prepare and thread the heddles with up-close instruction before sleying the reed and tying on knots. Janet also helps you identify and troubleshoot tricky threading errors so you can fix mistakes as you go without frustration!

1:27:19

Lesson 7. Learning to Weave Well

What sets average weaving apart from truly skillful weaving? Find out with Janet's engaging tips and instructions as she covers the best practices for winding a bobbin, making a guide tape and experimenting with various weaving techniques. She also covers successful methods for hemstitching, joining a new weft, troubleshooting weft errors and much more in this information-packed lesson.

20:23

Lesson 8. Tie-Up

Janet kicks off this lesson with an explanation of treadle and shaft relationships to help you simplify your weaving. Next, discover how to create a lift plan before converting it with Janet's confidence-building suggestions. Finally, Janet revisits the Fiberworks computer software program to show you how you can digitally convert a lift plan to a tie-up, and vice versa.

59:35

Lesson 9. Building Your Weaving Skills

Continue to develop your blossoming weaving skills as you dive into starting a second pillow. You'll tread a 2/2 twill, change colors, address the draw in and troubleshoot along the way. Additionally, you'll add a beautiful accent stripe, create point twill, and more!

43:31

Lesson 10. Tips & Tricks

Ready for even more fun techniques and tips that will set you up for success? Work with a floating selvage, learn how to remove the cloth and attach floating selvages, create a basket weave, fix a warp end if it breaks, and design your own stunning, custom-made pillow.

29:40

Lesson 11. Wet Finishing

Discover wet finishing techniques for your projects as Janet illustrates how to doctor the cloth and fix a skip if a color is coming through too much on the wrong side. Next, learn how to wash the wool with exactly the right temperature of water and soap for the job and press it for the best results. Janet shares "before" and "after" examples so you can see the full effect of this technique!

33:45

Lesson 12. Wrapping Up

Janet wraps up this information-rich class with final tips on how to put your pillows together and how to keep careful records on what techniques and drafts you used to build each of your projects. She also equips you with project planning tools to determine the length and width of each warp, and how much yarn you'll need to make the fabric and projects you desire.

The instructor

Janet Dawson, Instructor of Floor Loom Weaving

As a girl, Janet Dawson sifted through her grandmother's yarn drawer to wind up the tangled skeins into tidy balls. She now teaches weaving throughout the Canadian Maritimes and the U.S. and writes for publications such as Handwoven and Fibre Focus. Based in Nova Scotia, Canada, her shop, The Bobbin Tree, specializes in weaving, spinning, knitting and other textile crafts. She eagerly runs to the shop whenever a cruise ship rolls into town, allowing her to meet would-be weavers from around the world.

Ratings & reviews

Class rating

(65 reviews)

So Helpful

by porcelaintile on February 25, 2015

Loving this class! Janet explains everything so clearly.

Loving this class! Janet explains everything so clearly.

Learning Despite The Filming Angle

by karendipitykc on February 21, 2015

Janet is a great teacher but the camera work could use improvement. Why can't you shoot this so we can see what the instructors hands are doing? It would be more helpful to view the loom from looking over Janet's shoulder than seeing her face while she talks. Example...hem stitching lesson.

Janet is a great teacher but the camera work could use improvement. Why can't you shoot this so we can see what the instructors hands are doing? It would be more helpful to view the loom from looking over Janet's shoulder than seeing her face while she talks. Example...hem stitching lesson.

Great Class

by MichelesFibers on February 20, 2015

I had so many things that I was afraid of or didn't understand about this loom. Not only did Janet make everything understandable but I was also able to figure out some things about my loom which is a homemade Fanny style loom that was missing some things.

I had so many things that I was afraid of or didn't understand about this loom. Not only did Janet make everything understandable but I was also able to figure out some things about my loom which is a homemade Fanny style loom that was missing some things.

Treadles

by gisbellef3721772 on February 14, 2015

How do I tie up the treadles on a counterbalance leclerc loom

How do I tie up the treadles on a counterbalance leclerc loom

Wonderful Class

by mollyolly2127569 on February 13, 2015

Janet gives such clear instructions. I enjoy watching classes over to review and gain better understanding. I am learning so much and can't wait to get my hands on the loom.

Janet gives such clear instructions. I enjoy watching classes over to review and gain better understanding. I am learning so much and can't wait to get my hands on the loom.

Absolutely! This class will help beginner weavers who want to learn the basics as much as more experienced weavers looking for fantastic tips and techniques to create highly skilled woven projects. Janet takes the intimidation factor out of floor and table looms as she breaks down tools, supplies, how to set up and use your loom, and how to calculate drafts manually or using computer software to create any project of your choosing.